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Thursday, April 24, 2014

I know. I know. I need to find another baking blog. But, you guys, I love this lady's recipes. They are so scrumptious. Plus, I love how she incorporates candy into her cookies. I mean how can you go wrong with Peanut Butter Cups stuffed inside a cookie. Seriously? You can't! I've definitely been on a baking kick for a while, but it's since slowed down. I might have one or two more baking recipes to post, but that's all for awhile. I promise. Anyway, I'm excited for the warm weather and the longer daylight. I'll definitely try some new recipes soon that aren't cookies, brownies, etc. In the mean time; please get yourself in the kitchen and try these cookies. And, take some to your friends or co-workers. They will love you forever if you do! I promise!

First take out a medium sized bowl, and add in the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set this aside for later.

In a large standing mixer bowl; add in the butter and sugars and cream until well combined. Set your speed to low, and add in the peanut butter, egg, and vanilla. Stir until just combined. Next, carefully add in the flour mixture. Stir until just combined. Cover the bowl with some plastic wrap, and place in your fridge for at least an hour (or up to 3 days). According to Sally, chilling the dough is mandatory. So, be sure you don't omit this step.

Once the dough has chilled thoroughly, remove from the fridge and go ahead and preheat your oven to 350. Take out a small melon scooper and scoop out a tablespoon of the dough. Roll into a ball. Stick a peanut butter cup onto the dough, and press down so it has a "cradle" effect. Then, roll out another tablespoon sized dough into a ball and place on top of the peanut butter cup. Kind of spread the dough around, so it completely covers the peanut butter cup. Repeat these steps with the remaining dough. When you're ready to bake, place in the oven and bake for about 10-11 minutes, or until the edges are lightly brown. Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack. After about 10 minutes, go ahead and bite into one of these cookies. Mmm. Heaven!

Monday, April 21, 2014

It’s been
forever since I posted a new recipe and you guys, I am really sorry. Bad food
blogger! Bad! But let me make it up to you with a new recipe that is actually
pretty good. In spite of the great reviews it got on Food52, I was worried when
I made the marinade. Pineapple and ketchup? Molasses and soy sauce? Malt
vinegar? I mean, it sounds like something I would have mixed up as a child born with
no tastebuds. But it did turn out really flavorful. Sweet and a little sour,
with an Asian flair and a tiny bit of spice. My only regret is that we had a
hard time getting it to carmelize and I think that would have made it even
better. Next time I think I will try this on grilled chicken to get that tasty
char. The only sub I made was to use sambal olek instead of sriracha because
the Hubs doesn’t like it (I KNOW, right?).

8 oz pineapple

1/3 cup soy
sauce

1/3 cup molasses

3 Tbsps malt
vinegar

1 Tbsp ketchup

1 Tbsp Sriracha
(or Sambal Olek to taste)

2 cloves garlic,
crushed

½ tsp grated
ginger

2 pounds
chicken, cut into one inch cubes

2 Tbsps
vegetable oil

I used a fresh
pineapple and didn’t know how much would be 8 ounces, so I used about a quarter
of a large one. Puree the pineapple in your food processor before adding in the
soy sauce, molasses, malt vinegar, ketchup, Sriracha, garlic and ginger. Pulse
it until it’s mixed well. You may want to stir the bottom to get all the
molasses up. Put your chicken in a large Ziploc bag or a bowl and pour the
marinade over, making sure it all gets covered. The recipe called for 6 hours
in the marinade, and we only did 5, but I think when I make this again I may go
even less (3 or maybe 2 hours). Acid breaks down the meat and this went a touch
too far for me.

Heat your oil in
a skillet over high heat and cook the chicken until it’s cooked through and the
marinade carmelizes a bit on the outside. Set it aside and deglaze the pan with
the rest of the marinade, letting it reduce and thicken for 5 or 6 minutes
before pouring it over the chicken. You definitely want to cook it long enough
to cook up any raw chicken bits left in the marinade. Then serve over steamed
rice. You can also add in some broccoli, which might round out the meal a
little bit more.

Welcome to The Dinner Club

Here's what's cooking in (a few) kitchens here in Richmond, Virginia. We're not chefs, not by a long shot. But we do like to cook. We like to try new recipes. And we really like to eat.

The Dinner Club is a place to share recipes and our experiences as we make them. The tried and true, the brand new and the recipes we invent ourselves. We'll share tips and tricks along the way: what went well, what went wrong, and what we might try the next time (if there is a next time).